Things to share from my business journey

Why it is Time to Get Rid of Your Spreadsheets

There is a lot to be said for documents that can be accessed by many people in an organisation, that hold a lot of accurate information, and contain data in a way that can be understood easily. There are a growing number of people who will tell you that a spreadsheet is not such a document. In fact, many management professionals have stopped dealing in spreadsheets altogether, as they are often either confusing, inaccurate or too rapidly outdated to be of much use.

The humble spreadsheet is such a staple of many offices, however, that we appreciate you may need some convincing to let yours go. Let’s look at the most compelling reasons to do so, and after considering the matter objectively, we think it is likely you will not hesitate to implement something better.

Easy to imitate – impossible to duplicate

Almost without exception, a master spreadsheet will be copied and sent to workers in different sectors, who will then input their own data in the hope of collating something more thorough. What happens, though, is that these extended spreadsheets are rarely collaborated and sent out again so everyone gets a full picture, or if they are, it is easy to become confused with which version of a constantly evolving document is the most recent.

Easy Come, Easy Go

One attractive feature of a spreadsheet layout is that it is easy to input data. Unfortunately, when these documents are shared among a group who all need to access them, there are no limits on who can alter them, meaning they can change without warning or explanation. Additionally, there is always the possibility, and often the reality, that critical data can be mistakenly deleted, rendering the spreadsheet invalid for use.

Easy does it!

In theory, a spreadsheet can be clear, organised, and clutter-free. But most of us have encountered a colleague so enamoured with the complexities of Excel, that their spreadsheets evolve to resemble a document we might find on the International Space Station. Unless there are rigid guidelines in place, a spreadsheet can get complicated very quickly, increasing misinterpretations and errors.

At Admin Bandit, we specialise in supplying and supporting a group of truly useful tools that are set up for accuracy and efficiency. With our system, your data is secured in one location online, so when multiple officers do need to see a document, they will be viewing the same one every time, and changes can only be made by authorised persons. Unlike the spreadsheet, with the many different ways they can go wrong, our system is straightforward and easy to get right.